He's Coffee, She's Tea
by RAEng
Summary: A collection of oneshots, including some BBRae week 2018 pieces. Raven was tea, Beast Boy was coffee. These two individuals couldn't be more dissimilar from each other, and yet here they are building a unique relationship that nobody ever saw coming.
1. Chapter 1

Raven was like tea. She was calm and zen. It was no coincidence that tea happened to be her preferred beverage of choice. She was hardly ever caught without a cup of steaming hot tea at arm's reach. The team had even given her an entire cupboard to herself to store hers teas. She had green, black, white, oolong, pu'erh, herbal, mate, and rooibos tea. Each one had its own section in her cupboard. It was flawlessly organized, just the way she liked it. There was only one blemish keeping it from being perfect, and that was the top right corner. In its place sat a disgusting, uncultured can of instant coffee. It pained Raven every time she had to look at it. It ruined the perfection of her tea display. Even more, the offensive scent of coffee grounds was seeping out of the can and fraternizing with the aroma of her refined teas.

It was no coincidence that the owner of the distasteful coffee was none other than irritating, immature, coffee-loving Beast Boy. He was the personification of coffee. He was loud, obnoxious, and energetic. He always ruined her peace with his lame jokes and stupid videogames and endless chatter, in the same way that his coffee ruined her tea collection. Raven had made several attempts to find the coffee can a new home but was unsuccessful. She even tried to toss it in the trash a few times. Much like Beast Boy, the can of coffee was not going anywhere anytime soon.

Beast Boy haphazardly padded into the kitchen, coming straight from his bed obviously. Raven watched him from her seat at the table as he went into _her_ cupboard and effortlessly retrieved his can of coffee from the highest shelf. Raven rolled her eyes and shook her head. She was a little bitter about the whole 'sharing' situation. Plus, it wasn't fair that he had significantly surpassed her in height and could reach the top shelf.

Beast Boy shuffled over to the sink, bringing the kettle with him. He flipped the tap handle upwards and let the water run. "Do you want some water, Rae?" he mumbled, still half asleep.

"Yes, please," said Raven, although she despised answering to that obscene nickname.

Beast Boy placed the kettle on the base and pressed the toggle button. He made his way to the dining table where Raven was sitting. He pulled out a chair directly in front of hers. He grinned. "Morning, Rae."

"It's _noon_ ," she said, unimpressed and unaffected by his sexy grin.

"It's 11:56. It's still morning."

Raven rolled her eyes before tearing her eyes away from his face and bringing them back to her book. Her eyes were going through the motions, scanning the page from left to right, but her brain wasn't registering any words. She was distracted by Beast Boy's gaze on her. She could see his striking green eyes from her peripheral view. "What?" she asked with annoyance.

"Nothing." Beast Boy continued to grin at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" He shrugged, pretending as if he didn't have a clue what she was taking about.

 _Like a sexy god,_ she wanted to say. Instead she settled for, "like a creep."

"I like watching you read. It's cute." Raven's heart skipped a beat. He said she was cute. In the background she saw several appliances surrounded in her dark energy, about to go haywire. She quickly regained control over herself and set the appliances safely back down on the countertop. She didn't want Beast Boy to know what effect he had on her.

Raven gave him a cold look. "I don't do _cute_."

"That's a shame." Beast Boy smirked. "Cute looks good on you." Beast Boy winked at her and strode back to the kitchen. He reopened Raven's cupboard. "What do you feel like having today, Rae?"

Again with that awful nickname. "I can make it myself," she informed him.

"Nonsense, I'm already up. I'll make you your tea."

"Yeah, no offense but brewing a tasteful cup of tea takes knowledge and skill. It's not a cup of coffee where you can toss in some sludge grounds and mix it with a bit of water and call it a beverage."

Beast Boy laughed a deep laugh, not in the least offended. "Is that what you think of me?"

Raven was caught a little off guard by him calling her out like that. "No," she shook her head. "It has nothing to do with you. Just your choice of liquid refreshment."

"But you're judging my choice of _liquid refreshment_ and extending that judgement to me," he said matter-of-factly. "You think I have no class."

"Hey, well, if the shoe fits…" suggested Raven smugly.

"I assure you I have class, I have good taste, and I can brew you a cup of any tea you want, despite however small you may think my brain is."

"All right then. Chai Mate tea," said Raven, picking one of the more difficult teas to brew.

He nodded. "You got it," said beast Boy confidently. He turned back to face the cupboard and went to the top left corner. He pulled out a canister and then took the one behind it. Raven was impressed. He knew exactly where it was. Raven quickly recomposed her face, making sure not to let him see her surprised expression.

The kettle clicked, signalling that it was done. He took a teaspoon out of the drawer and expertly scooped out one and a half teaspoons, making sure it was exact. He dumped the tea into a strainer sitting in a porcelain mug. Next he went into another drawer and pulled out a thermometer. He placed it in the kettle and waited for an accurate reading. He must have decided it was too hot because he set aside the tea and began to work on his coffee.

Using the same spoon he used for the tea, he scooped out a heaping spoon of coffee and carelessly tossed it into his mug. Then he poured some water over the coffee grounds and gave the cup a stir. Raven watched as the steam rolled off the top. Beast Boy made his way to the fridge and pulled out a carton of soy milk. He gave the carton a shake and poured a splash into his cup. It clearly wasn't an exact science. He stirred his mug and inhaled the steam coming off. "Ahh…" he mumbled, Raven saw his shoulders visibly relax at a whiff of coffee.

Beast Boy returned to the kettle, He checked the thermometer again. This time, finding what he was waiting for, he took out the thermometer and set it aside. Beast Boy poured the hot water over the tea leaves. He went back into the drawer and took out a timer. He turned the dial to the right and set it in the counter. Raven could hear the faint ticking from where she was sitting.

"How am I doing so far, Rae?" asked Beast Boy. He was leaning against the counter with his arms folded over his chest.

"Not bad, but it's still too early to judge. You'll have to wait for the final taste test to get the verdict."

"Ah, I understand." There was silence between them as they both looked at each other. Breaking the silence, he asked, "So why the mate tea today? I know it's not your favourite. Not even close to you favourite."

Raven was surprised to learn that Beast Boy knew it wasn't her favourite tea. "How – How do you know that?" Was it just a lucky guess?

Beast Boy chuckled for what seemed like the millionth time today. "I pay attention, you know."

"Oh," said Raven as she processed what that really meant. She couldn't remember any time that she announced to her friends what tea she liked or disliked. Did he watch her make tea often? Maybe he saw that the tea canister was on the fuller side, indicating that she didn't drink it much.

"So, why are you feeling like mate tea today? Feeling adventurous? Giving something you don't like another chance?"

Raven shook her head. "I just thought I'd give you a challenge," she admitted.

"Well you'll need a harder challenge next time 'cause this is a piece of cake."

Raven rolled her eyes at his playful, cocky attitude. "Sure," she said sarcastically. The timer behind Beast Boy rang, signalling that it was finished steeping. Beast Boy took out two plates from the cabinet. Beast Boy used the first plate to set the steeper on. The other plate he used as a saucer for her mug. Beast By skillfully brought over her tea and his coffee without spilling a drop. He placed her tea in front of her like a waiter would.

"Enjoy," he said as he reclaimed his seat across from her. Beast Boy sipped his coffee as he watched Raven cautiously sip her tea. Beast Boy raised his eyebrows. "So?"

"Meh." Raven shrugged her shoulders. "I've had better, I've had worse." Beast Boy didn't buy her performance. He gave her an expectant look. Raven's lips turned upwards in a rare smile. "Okay, it's excellent. You made a tea I don't like pretty enjoyable."

"Ah ha. I knew it. I'm awesome."

"Slow down there, cowboy. I never said you were awesome. Just because you can brew a cup of tea doesn't mean you're remotely close to awesome."

"Aw, come on, Rae. I know you secretly like me." Raven wasn't sure if he was bluffing her. He could be saying it to get under skin, to get a rise out of her. Or he might actually know she had some hidden feelings for him. Was she that obvious?

Raven took her chances. She scoffed. "Yeah, right." Another silent moment passed between the pair. Beast Boy's eyes remained fixated on Raven's purple irises. Raven liked how expressive his eyes were. She could see the playfulness in his eyes and the smile behind them. Raven cleared her throat. "So," she started, unsure of where she was going. "Why is it that you're so careful with my tea and you're so careless with your coffee? I mean, surely there must be a proper way to brew coffee?" Raven wrapped her hands around her mug to keep her hands warm.

Beast Boy took a long moment to think about his answer. "It doesn't really matter much to me. I don't care too much about myself. But you? You're Raven. You're special. You deserve to have the finest things in life and perfect tea. I know you'll hate this, but I like treating you like a princess."

He was spot on. Raven wanted to object because she was _not_ a princess in any way, but his words were so sincere and sweet and Raven wasn't sure what to say in response. Luckily she didn't have to say anything. Beast Boy spoke again, saving her from an embarrassing ramble. "I know you're a strong, independent woman who could kick my ass whenever she wants to, but I like being able to do stuff for you, whether it's making you perfect tea or being your knight in shining armor." Raven still wasn't sure what to say. She had never had anybody say anything so sweet to her before.

Beast Boy continued, "But you're right. There definitely is a proper way to make coffee. The way I make it just doesn't do coffee justice. Let me take you to a real coffee house; a classy one. You might even end up _liking_ coffee," he suggested.

Raven bit her bottom lip in attempt to hide her second smile of the day. "And what if I end up loving perfectly crafted coffee? Are you going to meticulously make me coffee in the morning?"

"For you, anything," he said.

Thanks for reading. Leave a review/comment/question! I'm thinking of turning this into a series of disconnected one-shots. Let me know if that would be something you are interested in reading. You can give me prompts or requests if you would like.


	2. Chapter 2

"Will you please stop and talk to me, Rae?" demanded Beast Boy as he stalked closely behind Raven who was storming down the hall and leaving a trail of scathing marks on the steel walls. He impatiently waited for an answer or at least some form of acknowledgement from her. When it was clear that she wasn't planning on divulging anything, he pressed onwards. "Raven," Beast Boy said with an unusually austere tone, "I want answers. What is going on with you?"

Again, she made no inkling of a response. "You can't just blow up her party and walk away from it! Or from me!" Raven hadn't said a word to him in a week and for the life of him he couldn't figure out why. He was used to being ignored by Raven but only for short periods of time when he was presumably being annoying. He had been on his best behaviour all week – no crude jokes, no juvenile pranks, no talking when she was reading - but he was still getting the silent treatment. "All week long you've been off so I gave you your space and I didn't ask questions. But I'm asking now. I want to talk about this, and I want to talk about this right _now_."

Raven whipped around so quickly that he barely had enough time to stop himself from bulldozing right into her. "Nothing to talk about," she seethed through barred teeth. Her eyes were flickering back and forth between a glowering white and stormy purple. It was a terrifying sight. This should have been his cue to back down but Beast Boy wasn't going anywhere today.

Beast Boy boldly, or foolishly, held his ground and crossed his arms. "I beg to differ. You nearly opened two and a half cans of Trigon on her. What's going on?"

Raven's whole body began to emanate a black aura. The energy rolled off her body slowly and filled the empty space between them. It was cool, like dry ice, but left a prickly feeling on his sensitive skin. " _Nothing_!" she snapped.

"And that's a load of BS. Let's try this again, what's going on?"

Raven clenched her four glowing, red hot eyes shut. " _Go_. _Away._ " She tried her best to draw her energy to her center and keep it under control.

"Sure," he agreed smugly. "Right after you tell me what's wrong."

Raven opened her eyes, managing to see through two purple ones again. "Stop being such an ass and get out of my way before you don't have a choice."

"Tell me what's wrong," he said stubbornly.

She knew how persistent he could be, whether he was injured or not. Raven exhaled an annoyed puff of air before conceding. "Fine. It was an accident. Nothing a little meditation can't fix. Are you happy now?"

"No, I'm really not. You know, everyone's pretty upset that the party just exploded like a giant piñata, but I'm more concerned about you. Something is bothering you and I want to know what it is."

Raven certainly did _not_ want to talk and she definitely did _not_ want to talk to him. Without warning, a black portal opened on the wall. Raven was halfway thorough when Beast Boy managed to grab her wrist and yank her out. Raven let out a gasp of startle at his speed and strength. "Raven," he said with more gentleness than before. "I hate that you're mad at me. Please tell me what's wrong. What did I do?"

Raven jerked her wrist out of his hold. "If you don't leave me alone I'm seriously going to hurt you."

It was an empty threat and Beast Boy knew it. "Go ahead." He plainly stood there challenging her to follow through.

Raven scowled at him. She hated that he had called her bluff. "Why are you so annoying?"

"Why are you mad at me?" he countered.

"I'm not," she said through barred teeth.

Raven was driving him bonkers. Getting her to talk about her feelings was like talking to a wall. "For the love of God, Raven, I've heard the _Hulk_ use more words to express his feelings than you! You know a gazillion words – pick 5 and tell me how you feel! I don't care if it's not even in English! Just give me something."

"It wouldn't matter."

Beast Boy looked at her with disbelief. "What? Of course it matters!" How could she think that her feelings don't matter to him? Beast Boy took a tentative step closer to her. He felt his frustration dissipate. "Raven," he said softly. "It's only been one week but it feels like it's been lifetime. I miss late night hot chocolate on rooftop and early morning coffee and tea by the water. I miss talking about books and movies and books that were turned into movies. I miss cooking together when it's our turn to make dinner and winding up ordering takeout. And now you won't even talk to me! It scares me to think that I've ruined one of the few great things in my life. Please tell me what I did, because I miss you."

"Really?" she asked, sarcastically. "Because it looks like you've already found a replacement. Or was I just a replacement until she came back for you?"

"What?" his eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "You could _never_ replace her!" Raven felt a sharp stab go through her chest. "Just like she could never replace you, or Cyborg could never replace Starfire. Everyone has a special part to play and there are no understudies."

"Then why did you run back to her like a lost puppy finding its master the minute she showed up?" she asked bitterly.

He should have been angry at her analogy but he let it slide. Beast Boy shrugged sheepishly. "I didn't think you'd care." He looked at the ground for a moment and muttered, "And being around you was starting to hurt a little."

"Excuse me?"

Beast Boy's features contorted into an aggravated glare. "Oh, come on. You know what I mean. Don't make me say it."

Raven put her hands on her hips. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy let out a few mangled, incoherent sounds before he strung together a sentence. "Ugh! You knew I liked you and when you obviously didn't feel the same way I was upset! Being around you hurt, okay? I just needed some to time to heal."

"What? Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Um, hello?" he haphazardly waved his hands around. "It's mortally embarrassing! I didn't need you to reject me twice. In fact, I should probably go before you can reject me for a third time."

Beast Boy started to turn away, but Raven grabbed his wrist. "How could I reject you if you never asked me anything?" she demanded, angrily.

"What?" he breathed.

"You never said anything to me."

"Because I didn't think I had to! You're a freaking _empath_. I figured you knew that I liked you and if you liked me then you would have said something. It was your turn to make a move. I waited and waited and eventually I got the message."

Raven was quiet for some time. She looked away but could feel Beast Boy's intense gaze trained on her. She could feel his frustration and confusion and it was making it difficult for her to think. Beast Boy exhaled a breath of defeat and turned to leave. He'd taken three steps away from her when Raven blurted out, "You're right, Beast Boy."

He turned back to her and waited for her to continue. His eyes scanned her face, trying to read her stoic expression. He thought it was unfair that she had the privilege to read every last emotion he felt while she gave him nothing. He wanted to say something, but couldn't find any words. Finally Raven said, "I don't know how to express… my feelings." Hot blush flooded her face and ears. "It's never been easy…But… maybe you could be patient with me while I learn how to." Raven's heart was pounding in her chest. "Beast Boy, I… I…"

In that instant Beast Boy had his arms wrapped securely around her body. "It's okay, Rae. You don't have to say anything right now." A wave of relief washed over Raven and she let herself relax in his embrace. "We'll work on it together."

A/N: Thanks for reading :) Hope you enjoyed. I'd love to hear some feedback.


	3. Day 2 BBRae week 2018 (Pet Names)

"Everything seems to be in good order, Garfield and Raven. I'll file my report and send over the adoption papers this afternoon and you should be able to pick up your new puppy next Monday." The pet home inspector extended her hand for a quick shake.

"Thank you so much for coming today," said Raven.

"It was my pleasure. You folks are going to make great parents… to your new puppy," she said with a warm smile. "We'll be in touch soon!"

"Goodbye," said Garfield. He closed the door as the woman exited. When he turned around Raven was no longer by his side. He crossed the room in a few steps and caught her in a tight hug.

"Ah," Garfield exhaled a deep sigh of relief as he let his weight fall onto the couch and pulled Raven down with him. Raven instinctively cuddled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder. He draped an arm over her shoulders and let his fingertips sketch languid patterns over her bare arm. "We totally aced it!"

"You did a great job, Gar," Raven said. "You know, if I had known a home visit interview was all it would take to get you to clean up the condo, I would have agreed to adopt a dog months ago!"

" _Really_?" said Garfield in disbelief. "I think you secretly held out so long because you enjoy my _convincing_ ," he teased. Garfield waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Raven rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his chest. He grabbed her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. "Do you need some more convincing? Because I can convince you again, if you'd like," he whispered into her ear before placing a kiss on the sensitive skin below.

Raven squirmed against him when his warm tongue tickled her skin. "For your information," she said almost breathlessly. "It was the dog that won me over. Not you. So get off your high horse." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Garfield laughed. Despite her protests, he really did know how to turn her into putty beneath his hands and she knew it, too. "Whatever you say, Rae." With a sincere smile and a serious tone he told her, "Whatever made you change your mind, I'm glad that you did. Thank you for adopting this dog with me." Garfield kissed the top of her hair. "And thank you for supporting me throughout this whole process."

"Of course, Gar. I know you're going to make an excellent dog daddy. This little puppy is going to be lucky to have you."

"Thanks, Rae. You know, I was a little worried at first since it's a lot of responsibility to care for a new puppy and all, but I feel like I can do anything with you. As long as I'm with you I know that everything is going to be fine."

Raven felt the same way but instead of voicing that, she said, "You are _such_ a _sap_ , Gar."

Garfield smiled. "Maybe. But only for you." He leaned his weight to one side and brought Raven with him to lie down along the length of the couch. He angled himself so he could wrap his other arm around her, too. Raven's legs intertwined with his. "I love you, Raven. You know that, right?"

"Yes, Gar. It's not like I'm an empath and can feel it," she said with a well-practiced eye roll.

"Well, I like telling you so I'm going to tell you _every, single, day_." He punctuated his words with chaste kisses. Raven was powerless to subdue the rosy hue that stained her cheeks. After all these years his affection still made her insides flip and her mind go numb.

"I suppose that would be fine with me," Raven said light heartedly. "I love you, too, you big, sappy goofball." She pressed her lips to his smiling ones and let her hands slide into the hair at the base of his neck. "So what are you going to name him?"

Garfield laughed lightly. "I'm glad you asked. I have a bunch of names I've been toying around with for a while now. What do you think of Bae? It's cute, right?"

Raven shifted until she was on top of him so she could sternly look directly at him. Her cropped hair fell like a curtain around their faces. "No. Absolutely not, Garfield. Let me reiterate and update the rules: You are not allowed to call me _bae_. You are not allowed to call your dog _bae_. You are not allowed to say _bae_. In fact, take _bae_ out of your vocabulary because it's not a real word."

Garfield pouted and his upper fang jutted out in that way that Raven found irresistible. Raven shook her head firmly. No amount of cuteness and charm was going to sway her mind on this one. "Fine, no Bae," conceded Garfield. Raven relaxed back into his side again. "How about Batman?" he asked as he played with a lock of her soft hair.

Raven was not amused. "Can you picture me at the dog park calling out for a dog named Batman?" she asked. A mischievous grin slowly spread across his face as he imagined it. "The correct response is no," she answered for him.

"How about Cat?"

"Honestly, Garfield! The poor dog is going to get beaten up at the dog park by the other dogs who have owners that gave them proper names. Next?"

"Doge?"

"That is awful. I refuse to be seen in public with you and a dog named Doge."

"Come on, it's funny!"

"I'm going to say this as nicely as possible: Your name choices are unreservedly atrocious, Gar. I think you need some more time to think of a nice and appropriate name." Raven kissed his check tenderly. "Think of this as a practice exercise because we're going to need a proper name in about nine months."

"Why? What's happening in nine mon-" Garfield's mouth dropped open. His eyes dropped from her face to her stomach and back up to her face. He stared at her for a good moment. "Are you-" he pointed an accusatory finger at her. "Am I-" he pointed to himself. "Are we?" He had the most hopeful lilt in his voice.

Raven nodded. "We're pregnant!" she confirmed. "And no, Gar, we are not naming our child Logan Logan."

"Aw, come on, Rae. That would be the coolest name ever!"

"No, Garfield!"

"Fine. I guess I'll just have to convince you somehow." Garfield winked at her before he brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.


	4. Cold Feet

It was an icy winter night in Jump City. The continuous soft snowfall left Jump City swathed in a frosty blanket. Most of the city's inhabitants, save for Raven, were cozy and bundled up in their beds. Normally, Raven enjoyed the wintry air but tonight it felt bitter against her skin. She abandoned her chilly room in favour of the seclusion of the library.

Raven found herself sitting on the sofa with a dim reading lamp casting a bluish hue over her solemn features. Her gaze remained fixed on the book in her lap, but her hands and mind were preoccupied with an ornate diamond ring. Tonight it was feeling more like a lead weight on her finger. In a few months she would have a second ring; one that would have a single, perfect match, proudly donned by Garfield Logan.

Every now and then Raven questioned the intent of his marriage proposal. As an _empath_ she knew that he loved her and was in love with her. But as _Raven_ she had to wonder if he had simply resigned to accepting what was available. He'd fallen in love with a girl only once before - when he was young and naïve and fearless with his heart. He'd given his whole heart away because equanimity had never been his strong suit. It was then the girl's to cradle with tender touches. It had taken her a long time to learn how, but she did, and she had given her heart in return. But their happiness was far too ephemeral. Fate had cruelly separated them forever. It was an unfinished story left to be filled in with Raven's imagination.

Raven had imagined many alternate realities - none of which included Garfield falling in love with her, but she had come to accept that he loved her in the only reality that mattered. Still, she wasn't sure if he could he love her enough if his heart still lay with his first love. And if he couldn't love her enough, would he eventually realize it himself and break Raven's heart?

Raven shivered at the thought.

"Cold?" asked a thick, sleepy voice. Raven's attention was pulled from her own thoughts and directed towards the lean figure at the doorway. He stepped through the doorframe and into the faintly lit space. Raven shook her head, but her body protested with a second shiver. "Well," said Garfield as he slowly approached her, "In case you get cold, I brought you some things."

Raven watched wordlessly as he set a hot cup of tea down on the table at her side. She took in the blue-orange ombre colour of the mug as the ceramic changed colours to reflect the temperature. "Camomile," he stated with a small smile. Then he unfolded the quilt in his arms and lay it over her. It was still soft and fluffy despite the love it had received over the years. Raven's eyes followed Garfield's form as he knelt on the ground in front of her. He slowly covered her feet in the woolliest socks she had ever felt. His touch was so gentle that it almost tickled her skin.

When he was finished, he joined her under the quilt and pulled her flush into his side. Already, warmth had begun to seep through her body, from her head right down to her feet. With an arm around her shoulder and a kiss to her temple, he quietly whispered, "I'll keep you warm, Rae. Forever."


End file.
